Steelhead fly pattern?

[Ballgame]

I've fly fished for trout for quite some time but never really for steelhead,but this year I've decided to try. I've had a chance to fish the nestucca twice this past month once by the mouth of 3 rivers and once up past 5th bridge (really pretty river up there). Both times the water has been over 7.5 and from what I've read it needs to be under 6???? Haven't had a sniff from a steelhead yet, mainly throwing big bright streamers, although I did hook into a 7" cut throat nymphing a big bead head prince with a orange/pink yarn egg, took the egg, first fish of the year

Anyone have a favorite fly for steelhead or recommendations of what river to try (I live in Salem)first part of march? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Camo]

Getting your terminal tackle so close to the bottom -You know that you're going to snag at almost every cast, might help.

 

[Paul Smith]

Camo said it right; you have to go deep!!! Sent you a PM.

 

[ChezJfrey]

A swung leach and a sink tip to get it down, or nymph an egg pattern are two basic ones that will work for steelhead. I've done well with black/blue leaches in winter. Read Paul Smith's PM, I've seen here that he's a fly guy that likely knows what's up

 

[Ballgame]

Oh Yeah Paul has been great to chat with on here.

 

[DrTheopolis]

I hate to be "That Guy," but try for your first steelie on a fly, and try to hit a unicorn with an arrow -- same difference.

Enjoy the next fruitless 5 years.

I just invented a new wheel.

Sorry for being a jerk... but reality bites. And I'm not big on snaggers, which comprise right around 98% of all hookups on the fly I see on the river in winter.

 

[DrTheopolis]

And since I was a jerk -- come summer, ply your trade, brother. Your odds go up by an order of magnitude. This time of year -- it's about BIG presentations, and lots of weight. Your maribou streamer isn't getting in the zone.

Sorry to all the purists I've offended... but puh-leez. Busting that out on the Columbia in August in the channel would be a joke, as is my preferred spinner-chucking. Fish the water you have, not the water you wish you have.

 

[BaldTexan]

^^ Nothing like blunt honesty!

My preferred "fly' fishing for winter steelhead is with a spinning setup, weight, corky, yarn, and scent

Kidding aside, swinging a fly for summer steelhead was my first attempt and my first success at it. Haven't tried for winter steelhead on the fly since I'm too inexperienced and ignorant about weighted lines, sink tips, etc. and don't have that type of gear. BUUUT....Swinging spinners and drifting corky and yarn is productive in that stretch of the Nestucca.

 

[gonefirefighting]

Here are a few that should help you out, if the shop has no clue what your talking about, find another.

Double cheeseburger, spent lead egg, lightning bug, or swing a NyQuil, prom dress or circus peanut

 

[ChezJfrey]

Kidding aside, swinging a fly for summer steelhead was my first attempt and my first success at it. Haven't tried for winter steelhead on the fly since I'm too inexperienced and ignorant about weighted lines, sink tips, etc. and don't have that type of gear. BUUUT....Swinging spinners and drifting corky and yarn is productive in that stretch of the Nestucca.

Funny you mention this. My first attempt with a fly was also summers, and my first successes. But they were few and far between. In fact, after I hooked my first on the fly, my next one to hook took exactly 50 weeks to replicate the experience. LOL.

However, after a couple years, I took the plunge, bought a used switch rod with some sink tips and tried for winters, but thinking similarly to you that winters would be more difficult and sparse. Within a a couple months, I had already doubled my on-the-fly hookups while fishing for winters; I've still hooked far more winters on the fly than summers, though fishing with gear, it's the other way around, catching more summers than winters. Crazy, huh? Especially considering my fly casting sucks, LOL

Give it a go man

 

[Ballgame]

Went out this morning to the nestucca. Caught a smaller 4ish pound steelhead on a orange glo bug. Tried uploading the photo but says it's too high resolution and I have to change that manually, anyone know how to do that on a phone?

Ran me well into my backing and was a blast on to catch on a fly rod. I can't believe it didn't try to do this earlier, but I'm definitely hooked now.

thanks for all the info.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Went out this morning to the nestucca. Caught a smaller 4ish pound steelhead on a orange glo bug. Tried uploading the photo but says it's too high resolution and I have to change that manually, anyone know how to do that on a phone?

Ran me well into my backing and was a blast on to catch on a fly rod. I can't believe it didn't try to do this earlier, but I'm definitely hooked now.

thanks for all the info.

Ha! Great news. How 'bout them apples, Dr. T?